Sound levels emanating from Merriweather Post Pavilion have the Howard County Citizens Association continuing to fight for tighter decibel regulations even as the Columbia venue rolls out its new sound monitoring system to address the problem.
HCCA president Stu Kohn and several residents have voiced their concerns since a 2013 change in state legislation allowed the concert venue to operate at noise levels of 95 decibels within a quarter-mile radius, from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The legislation also requires the sound stay at a 55-decibel level from 11 to 11:30 p.m.
However, complaints skyrocketed after the 2015 Sweetlife Festival, Kohn said, when people as far away as Ellicott City reported hearing performances and feeling vibrations from high noise levels. Kohn said similar concerns arose during last weekend's Sweetlife Festival.
"The bottom line is we're not very happy at all because our elected officials, for the most part, are completely ignoring the subject," Kohn said, adding that County Executive Allan Kittleman was the only official to respond to a letter the association sent the county in July.
In the letter addressed to Kittleman and members of the County Council and the state delegation, HCCA reported "intense sounds" during D.J. Calvin Harris' main stage performance at last year's Sweetlife Festival, which clearly violated the legislation restrictions. Merriweather officials never confirmed whether the performance exceeded set decibel levels.
During a legislative public hearing in February, Kohn said he and other residents testified on the issue before the Howard County delegation, but none of the delegates asked any questions.
Special assistant Mary Clay, with Councilwoman Mary Kay Sigaty's office, said Sigaty was not available for comment Tuesday afternoon.
Eric Benner, legislative aid in Sen. Guy Guzzone's office, also said Guzzone was unavailable Tuesday afternoon.
Andy Barth, press secretary for the county executive, said they have been in constant contact with both the police and health departments, finding no violations by Merriweather this season.
"They took readings, but none of them reached levels that would constitute a violation," Barth said. "There were some phone call complaints, which we recognize of course, but the sound did not exceed the allowed level."
Kohn questions why the state increased the allowable decibel level in 2013.
"There's really no enforcement," Kohn said. "The penalty for Merriweather, which they paid two fines for last year, is only $500. That's only five or six tickets that you have to sell to pay it. Big deal."
Ian Kennedy, executive director of the Downtown Columbia Arts and Culture Commission, said Merriweather officials have been "diligently monitoring" sound levels this season using fixed and mobile equipment, beginning with the two-day M3 Rock Festival at the end of April.
The commission has been involved in Merriweather's renovations through a joint development agreement with Howard Hughes.
"We installed additional [sound monitoring] stations on our property and we've installed one outside of the property and are working on getting the other one [at the Central Branch library]," Kennedy said. "Then, we send folks out with readers. All of that feeds it into a central dashboard that the operations folks monitor in real-time during the shows."
Merriweather officials are emphasizing mobile monitoring, Kennedy said, reading sound levels throughout downtown and the Columbia area.
Although she isn't directly impacted by the situation, Oakland Mills resident Barbara Russell said she's appalled by what she sees as county officials' lack of response in helping the citizens they represent.
"The county certainly accommodates Merriweather by directing traffic and making sure that there are no problems at Merriweather," Russell said. "They have shown the desire to actively help Merriweather."
Russell said aspects of the new sound monitoring equipment are pointless, specifically monitoring levels within the property.
"To measure the levels inside the pavilion doesn't do anything. It doesn't tell you how it's affecting people inside their homes or on their properties," she said.
Despite fielding some phone calls about noise over the weekend, Kennedy said concerns were minimal with all readings well within the designated decibel range.
"I think the level that was arrived at through the legislative process is an accurate one," he said. "We're certainly hearing from a segment of residents, but there are a lot of people in Columbia who enjoy the background sound as part of the Columbia experience. Obviously, it has to be within safe levels."
Kohn said he demands more county response.
"I recommend that the delegation, county executive and county council get together with the concerned citizens as soon as possible, along with a police person and the health department, to find out what exactly can be done and when will it be done," Kohn said.